


Five Reasons

by Rixie96



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bruce Banner Has Issues, F/M, Female Tony Stark, Male-Female Friendship, Protective Rhodey, Rule 63, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-06-10 16:29:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6964402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rixie96/pseuds/Rixie96
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yeah, Tony Stark is a genius with looks to go with it but Bruce fell in love with her for other reasons.<br/>But sometimes those reasons was not enough to make him stay. But he didn't know he left something behind with her.</p><p>**Edited with changes to the story** sorry for late updates!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_**"It's okay.** _

_**I knew you'd leave me anyways.** _

**_Everyone does."_  **

* * *

 

 **Adorable**.

Adorable was the first thought that came to his mind when his nervous, big brown eyes set on the Toni Stark. Though he was not around much media/television in a while that doesn't mean that he doesn't know who this petite genius in front of him is. The last time he saw her was when she was on the front cover of Rolling Stone with no clothes on and the American flag covering her most intimate parts. Bruce always thought of her as a promiscuous woman but here she was wearing what a sixteen-year-old boy would wear.

A Metallica black band tee ripped cropped jeans and dirty black converses. She was not long since the last time he saw her on the magazine cover which was years ago. It was in a short edgy pixie cut. Not combed obviously or was she trying to pull off 'I don't care' look? And her face. _Adorable_ , again. Toni has pixie like features and he curses whatever trashy magazine reporters could talk shit about such an adorable face.

And her brain. Bruce can not say that was adorable along with the sarcastic comments that roll out her pretty pink mouth. She talked science, his language with ease even if she was more on the engineering side and not the biochemist side. And when she said that she only educated herself on gamma radiation last night, Bruce became a goner.

 

**Brave.**

 

Bruce really wants to say stupid but that should not describe Toni Stark. But sometimes being too stupid can cause bravery.

Bruce already knew that she was a brave one when he found out why she created Iron  Man. How she created in with the limited tools in a cave with terrorists threatening her life. No one knowing where she could be. And the fact that she puts on a 'brave' face hiding the PTSD and demons underneath from what could of happened in that cave full of men.

And that she kept the Iron Man. That she did it on her own accord. That she risks her life.

And sometimes it could be a vice if not a strength.

Like when she shocked him on the hell carrier for kicks. Trying to see the symptoms that the 'Other Guy' was near. She didn't flinch away like a normal person should do. No, she leaned in with her big brown eyes staring into his with an infectious smile on her face.

Or the fact that she risked her life on a suicidal mission. That she took a nuke and fell from the wormhole. For the first time. the Hulk felt fear instead of anger. Fear that the one person to accept him as not a monster but a savior to Bruce was about to fall to her death.

Brave and, again, incredibly stupid for putting her address on the news when her life was endangered from terrorists.

Brave and stupid.  The worse combination.

 

**Flirty**

The mix of her being too adorable, a genius, and flirty did not sit well with Bruce. And not in the way that people would think. He can, well sometimes, handle the flirting that Toni would give him but not when she does it to others.

Bruce was possessive along with 'The Other Guy'. He only wanted Toni's eyes set on him. Her smile reserved for him.

But she loved getting a rise out of people.

Steve was her main target since Thor did not understand most of what she was saying. Steve's reactions were just adding fuel to the fire.

He can handle fighting monsters on the field but he can not handle a Toni Stark in the midst of his own home.

"JARVIS, Where's Toni?"

"Miss is in the gym," JARVIS replied.

Bruce left the shared lab of his and Toni's and went to the gym. He saw Natasha and Clint spar. Thor lifting weights with ease. And Toni. Not doing a damn thing but sit there eating chips watching Steve practice boxing.

"What are you doing?" Bruce asked her as he sat next to her feeling the jealousy rise inside of him.

"Enjoying the view," she said a bit too loud so that Steve could hear. She was gifted with Steve shaking his head at her with his ears red. "This is so better than Paper view."

Bruce decided that it was best for him not to go to the gym if Toni and Steve were there for his health and everyone's safety.

But she makes it up to him if she is not flirting with Steve.

When it was movie night and she said that Steve has to watch Rocky, Bruce became the sole attention of Toni's. He would not admit how happy that made it even if two trained agents who could figure out his emotions behind the mask he was trying to put up when Toni laid up next to him. Bruce was on the farthest of the L-shaped couch in the corner. Not caring what Bruce was trying to do, Toni laid up into his side and sat the popcorn bowl on his lap. Her slender fingers going up to his hair.

Bruce tried hard to hide his blush.

"I just _love_ how fluffy your hair is," she said.

Thirty  minutes into the movie, Toni fell asleep on his shoulder. Bruce kind of resented Toni putting him in this position as the whole team gave him knowing smiles.

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me, doc. How long you guys planned on hiding your relationship?" Clint asked with a grin.

"W-we-we're not in a relationship.  We're just friends," Bruce told them.

"Then what is this?" he waves at their position.

"She is usually like this. You know that she flirts and--

\--oh this is not the infamous Stark flirting," Natasha cuts him off. "This is something else. She never touches or cuddles if she is not trying to sleep with them in the next hour."

"She _likes_ you," Clint teases.

 

**Accepting**

Toni with all her spunky-ness and sarcastic charisma, she is also too accepting of things. Yeah, she showed her 'media smile' but not as much in front of her team. She easily let the team have their own floors to stay on. Easily gave them their own transportation--but who needs one in New  York? She gave Bruce his own lab even though she drags him in her own lab.

She accepted him with the 'Other Guy' as his alter ego. She actually was not scared of him and what he's done in the past.

She accepted all his 'weird quirks' so she says. She stopped drinking altogether. Tried the 'disgusting green stuff. Ugh, chai tea is the best tea with a shot of espresso and steamed milk' and also meditates with him. Toni slept a bit more and drunk less coffee. She also accepted his preferences and going at his pace in their relationship. It was more of an 'emotional' relationship instead of her usual abundance of  'physical' relationships. Sex was not completely off the table, thank god.

"So when can we fuck?" she asked after a week of 'official' going into a relationship. She's been holding her tongue for, like, _ever_ trying to be the understanding one like he is but that is not how they worked. He like her for her and he couldn't help but laugh genuinely when she asked  during breakfast and they was not alone. And it just had to be Clint who laughed his ass off at the flustered expression of the doctor.

Bruce waited till they were alone to give his answer.

"Make love?" he tried which earned him an entertaining expression from Toni. Bruce sighs. "I don't know but we can't...it has to be slow. Not rushed."

But Bruce also accepted some of her mannerisms she lets out.

When she had the idea of making a robot that could disassemble the avengers, Bruce was all for it. Okay, he was not eager about it but the scientific part of his brain that was curious about the outcome and also the mushy part of his brain when he agreed and she gave him a genuine smile that made his mind go blank like it usually does when she touches him or smiles at him or even when she shares her thoughts on experiments they should try.

And maybe it was his fault for agreeing.

Bruce is supposed to be the smart one. The one with the sense and not going along with crazy ideas of his girlfriend--at the time.

But then things just went weird. And destructive and people died.  Bruce couldn't live with what that witch did to him. The damage he caused and also all the blame being pinned on her and the team.

But mostly her.

 But what hurt most of all to Bruce? 

That she easily accepted him leaving like she expected it. 

 

 **Afraid**.

That's what he felt when her life was in danger. When she was presumed dead and he was in the Stark Tower in New York, he had to go into lock-down. Hulk wanted to smash.

And she was afraid too.

Afraid to admit her feelings. Afraid to talk about Afghanistan, afraid of talking about Obie's betrayal. Afraid to admit that she didn't just felt admiration and curiosity with Bruce. Yeah, she flirted with him but it took Bruce to make the first move to move their relationship forth. She came back to the tower with a cast on her arm, her signature smirk, and a coffee in her free hand.

Bruce shoved through their teammates and embraced her. He felt her tense up at the surprise touching. His large and pretty strong arms wrapped around her. He pulled back and smiled when she blushed. Blushed! Bruce could not stop himself anymore. He pressed his lips against her not caring about the audience or the fact that this was their worse first kiss since he smashed her teeth into his lip.

But it was okay. Bruce was not afraid anymore as long as he keeps an eye on this recklessly stupid, brave woman.

But then he left her because of Ultron and his cowardliness.

And he felt fear when he saw her face on the television and on the bottom of the screen: "Breaking News: Attempted Murder on Toni Stark".

He had to go back. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry it is so short...

She really wanted a drink.

Not the first time since Bruce left.

After dealing with Ultron and she was left alone to her own device, Toni needed a drink. When the government came to her door asking for an explanation over a killer robot that she created or 'woke up'; she wanted a drink. And when she looked at the pregnancy test--the sixth one--she drank damn green tea because she didn't want to risk the life of the little hulk inside of her that is bound to be a genius superhuman since it will have her brain and Bruce's along with his genes.

But then Anthony Edwin James Stark was born and Toni didn't need a drink.

She had AJ.

The only thing that he inherited from his spunky MILF of a mother was her dark hair.

Everything else was Bruce. Her cute little chubby curly-haired munchkin.

And wasn't that a stab in the chest.

She hasn't necessarily stopped being Iron Man. She's more of a consultant (like she was supposed to be) and would help if need be. She raised her child with her undivided attention and showed as much affection as her father gave her in her whole lifetime. Yeah, she doesn't save the world so she pushes her projects over clean energy. She tried putting funds for those affected by the after effects of SHIELD and the Avengers.

Pepper was a blessing.

Rhodey had his time spent with the new avengers team. More like baby sitting but whatever.

And the new team that stole her JARVIS away. But at least Vision visits often to remind her what she lost. 

Now she has FRIDAY.

Why did I make a British woman as my AI, she thinks to herself every week.

Toni enjoyed the last year of her pregnancy. She was two months pregnant when Bruce left. Had AJ early five months later but that didn't stop AJ from being a healthy baby.

_"I don't care that you were born on Christmas," she tells the little bundle wrapped in a blue blanket. "December 25th is your day. You are going to get so may present you, lucky boy."_

Five months later she was sucked right back in.

The avengers had casualties in Lagos.

Steve was an ass hole for not signing a piece of paper because he wants his damn freedom.

Bucky accused of the bombing.

Dealing with a sexy king black panther... not like she's complaining about that or anything.

And to find out that she was in the wrong after all--but at least she finally met the Spider guy who became her adopted son--just to have her find out that her parents were killed by grumpy cat  Bucky.

Yeah, Toni needs her drink.

Instead of opening a bottle of wine, she wrapped her shaking arms around her AJ and sobbed.

Everything was fine.

Yeah, she was interrogated when Steve was still on the loose and broke out the rest of the avengers team.

But she took it in stride. She has her small family that she trusts with her life. And when her life was in danger she did the most practical thing (even though everyone disagrees with that) to do. 

She injected Extremis inside of her. It was the most logical idea. It was a month after Peter turned down a position with the Avengers when she had her first life threatening heart-attack (every heart attack is life threatening...). She was expecting the usual spiel about her health and weak-heart and to avoid stress, but this was a differ diagnosis. Even though the reactor is out of her chest didn't mean that her lungs and ribs grew back that empty space. She still had trouble breathing. And the nightmares doesn't help either with her heart. T'Challa was much needed help and easily became her science bro with the Extremis. 7 people know about it. Pepper. Happy. Rhodey. T'Challa. Peter. Vision (because it's hard to hide from a species like himself). 

And AJ. He knows that his mommy has special abilities.

Everything became domestic with her taking care of AJ, Rhodey, and maybe moping about Steve easily beating her to a pulp (thought he was a gentleman. Dudes can't hit girls) to save his best friend.

Four years later someone tried to kill her.

Back to normal again.

 

Bruce was shocked to know that he was still as Toni's emergency contact.

It took all of Bruce's self-control not to break down in her hospital suite. Bruce could barely recognize her.  She grew out her pixie cut. Her dark locks now past her shoulder. Her naturally glowing skin tone was now pale and sickly looking. Cheeks hallowed. Lips chapped.

Bruce took her delicate callous hands into his large ones.

"I...I know you hate it when I apologize all the time," he said to her. "But I'm sorry."

  



	3. Chapter 3

Am I dead?" 

Bruce chuckled and sobbed when she woke up. 

"No, you are perfectly awake," he brushed her overgrown bangs out her face. Toni didn't try to shake him off. She gave him her perfectly winning smile that caused his heart to clench. Bruce leaned over to press the button for the nurse. 

"We have loads to catch up on," she said. Her voice hoarse from being in a coma for three days. "I feel ashamed how easy it was for him to shoot me? Do I need to wear my armor everywhere I go?" 

"Only you can say full sentences after a three-day coma,"  Bruce teased but he couldn't hide--he won't hide--how worried he was over health. She tried to sit up but  Bruce stopped her. 

After the protocol of the doctor checking on her health and her complaining about not looking her best after four years of not seeing Bruce. 

"You look perfectly fine, Ton--

\--I was informed that visitors are allowed," Vision cuts him off as he levitates through the open door. Bruce was just about the greet his friend (son? creation?) but stopped midway when seeing the _toddler_ on the android's shoulders.

" _Mama_!" the toddler almost fell of Vision as he tried to reach for his mother.

"You missed me?" she asked him. Toni licked her lips. She was not prepared to introduce the two. Hell, she didn't think she would ever see him this soon. It was pretty obvious who this child's father is. Yeah, the child called her Mama but the child only inherited her wild dark locks but other than that? It was all Bruce. 

Bruce could see it. 

AJ had a lighter toned Olive skin tone compared to Bruce. He was a bit plump with chubby cheeks from Jarvis falling for AJ's 'Stark' charm of feeding him sweets and junk food no matter what. 

"Doctor Banner," Vision's eyes widened at the sight of the scientist. "It is surprising to see you since your absence. May I ask you why you are present?" 

"Um...I heard about the...murder attempt," he replies. Bruce wrung his hands nervously since all eyes were on him now. Even the child in Vision's arms was watching him skeptically wondering who this stranger next to his mother is. 

"Well," Toni spoke up. "They did a lousy job. They only nicked me in the shoulder," she shrugged causing her to groan since she forgot about her shoulder with tender with stitches. 

" _Only_ nicked your shoulder," Bruce repeats as he attempts to calm his nerves. "If you would have moved only three inches to the right, you would have been dead." 

"There you go, big guy. You're being a pessimist," she teases him. She leans over and raised her uninjured so that she can ruffle his fluffy hair. "Still fluffy, huh? That's good. I really missed running my fingers through it," she purred causing him to blush. "AJ here inherited your amazingly fluffy hair." 

And there it was. Toni admitted that he is a father in a nonchalant way as if she said he left some of the clothes when he left. Toni's eyes then went to her the sheets avoiding eye contact with him. Bruce looked at the child. 

 

"Would you like  to hold your son, Toni," Vision asked her reluctantly. Over the last couple of years, Vision has been protective over Toni. And when Bruce left and she was alone pregnant. He became more of an overbearing big brother which she would never admit liking. And now that AJ was born he was wrapped around that little boy's finger. 

"I don't think I have enough strength to hold the Lil' guy," she said with a smirk before holding out her arms for her child. AJ was nothing but excited to be in his mother's arms after two days of not seeing her. Vision decided that telling her about AJ's tantrums from his missing mother was not to be told at this time. Toni winced when AJ practically engulfed his mother into a hug. Toni was not ashamed that she made her son into a mother's boy. He's spoilt by all the affection and toys she gives him and he knows that he could get anything he wants if he asks. 

"You better?" he voices muffled by her shoulder. 

"Yep," Toni pats the child on the back. 

"When...when did you know?" Bruce finally found his words. His eyes never leaving the little bundle that was clinging onto Toni. 

"I found out about two weeks after the whole Ultron thing," she didn't bother adding, 'a _fter you left me_ ' since it is implied. 

It also brought on another set of emotions when Bruce thought of Toni fighting the androids when she was in her first trimester. The dangers of losing the child during those battles. 

"Scared the shit out of me," she adds. 

" _Language_ ," AJ lifts his head from her shoulder to scold his mother. Bruce couldn't help but laugh thinking back to four years ago when Steve said it over the comm to Toni. He realized that AJ was not serious but that it was an inside joke with the two. 

"AJ," Toni was now speaking to her son with a tone that Bruce rarely recognized. Her eyes glanced over at him before going back to their son. Bruce realized what was about to happen. "This is my friend. You remember him?" 

Bruce stilled when the child finally looked at him with familiar brown eyes. It stared holes into his sizing him up wondering about the stranger in the room. But then AJ's eyes softened the longer he stared at Bruce. 

"Bruce?" AJ whispered more to himself than to his mother but that still stunned the scientist. Did she tell him about me, he thought. 

"Yep, that is the famous Dr. Bruce Banner," she said to him. 

Bruce didn't know what to expect for the child to do. Maybe shy away since Bruce is a stranger? Or ask invasive questions if he has the personality of a Stark? 

But then the kid frowned as if someone took his favorite toy away. 

AJ bit his lips as if he was trying to hold back any insults at the man.

AJ turns back to his mother and asks, "Can I leave?" 

Toni seemed stunned by his question. "You  just got here."

"But you are better," he said with his hand gesturing to her state of lying down.  "Can we get gelato?" AJ asked Vision.

"How about we get lunch since first," Vision negotiates. AJ sighs and nods. He hopped off the bed and pass Bruce but not before giving him a stink eye. 

"That went better than I hoped for?" Toni said after the two left. 

"Does he hate me?" Bruce asked. "Or is he like that to all males around his mother?"

"Well, he is a mama's boy but he still acts civilized around males," she said. Bruce blinked at that question not knowing what answer that Toni expects. 

"I planned on a couple of days," he started. "But knowing about AJ changes things." 

"That's my boy," she jokes. 

"What does AJ stand for?" Bruce decided asking the easy questions first is better. 

"His names is Anthony Edwin  James Stark. I thought it would be better for him to have my name since it would not be safe for him to have Banner because Ross would be all over that," she said. Bruce understood but then that brought up other questions but he decided to stick with the easy questions first.

"Why Anthony?" 

"My dad always wanted a boy," she said. "He was going to name me that if I was a son but that didn't go well. I thought I would name AJ that by honoring my father without naming AJ Howard," she said her father's name with a cringe as if his name was disgusting. "And you know about Edwin and James. Edwin is for Jarvis and James is for Rhodey." 

"His birthday?"

"Christmas," she said with a chuckle. "Had the little tyrant on a farm since the streets were closed. Clint had to deliver AJ."

"Why were you on a farm?" Bruce asked. 

"Because I was a babysitter for Laura and Clint's new son. To get some practice in," she shrugged. "Clint just had to be the unofficial godfather after delivering AJ and seeing my ruined vagina." 

"I bet," he said. "Who is the official god father?"

"Rhodey, of course. It was a drunken vow we made back in our college days. I was to be his kid's godmother and vice versa. But Rhodey had to be a dick about it," Toni said.

"What happened?"

"He said he was shocked I didn't have kids sooner," she scoffs. "And you know what I said? I said Bruce must have _very_ fertile--

\--- _Toni_ ," Bruce scolds her lightly. At least her teasing never changed. "The famous Stark intelligence?"

"Of course," Toni rolled her eyes. "But I want him to live a normal life. As much as one can with the Stark's name. I want him to play with kids his age and not skip classes unless he wants to." 

"That's good," Bruce said. 

Toni knew what Bruce really wants to ask but was being polite about it. "He has it. He has the super soldier's serum." 

Bruce paled. 

"No one knows but me," she said. "He hasn't changed into an adorable angry green hulk every time he has a tantrum. He does, however, have a temper, though."

"No signs?" Bruce asked. 

"He's healthy," she said. "Never need any shots. Heals quickly. He's tall for his age," she explained. "He's abnormally healthy for a child who was born two months early."

Bruce's eyes widened at the news. "He was a premature child?" 

"Yeah, it scared me," she said. "But after a week, he looked like any average child who was born after nine months." 

"Does he know...about me?" that I am his father, was left unsaid. 

"Yeah, I didn't bother keeping that from him. Didn't want him thinking that Vision was his father," she said. "And also he should know that he has a genius father and a genius mother, too." 

"So that's why he's angry with me?"

"I don't think he is angry at you for the reason you're thinking," Toni said. "I made sure he knew that you left not knowing about  him. He understood that."

"Doesn't change the fact that I left...you and him," Bruce said more to himself than to her. 

  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

 

It was easy for AJ to recognize the scruffy man that visited his mama in the hospital. At first, AJ barely recognized him since his sole focus was on his mother since she's been in surgery and passed out on drugs for the past two days. It caused quite a trauma on the four-year-old since he had to witness the shooting. 

_ His mama was treating him to the hole in the wall place in Brooklyn that makes the best gelato. One second he was telling his mama about how to make Rhodey's Stark braces on his legs more comfortable and less of a 'robot-like' walk and then the next his mama was flinging her arms as she fell backward.  _

_ Before AJ could even fathom what just happened, people started running and screaming. AJ tried to seize the temper and scared emotions that were rising every second he watched blood pool out of his mother's chest. AJ tried to remember the training that his mama gave him that helped her in the past when she dealt with kidnappings. But it was all a blur.  He was supposed to check out his surroundings but instead AJ peeled off his red shirt in a hurry and bundled it up before putting pressure on the wound. He reached over his mama with one hand grabbing her brown messenger bag that had all the essentials. She doesn' carry her Iron Man suitcase anymore. She stopped doing so a year ago when she quit the whole saving the world thing. She also didn't have her bracelets on to call them to her current location.  _

_ AJ found the Stark phone.  _

_ "F-FRIDAY?" he asked for the female AI.  _

_ "Yes, Master  Stark?"  _

_ "Send Vision and a suit to this very location now," he said before hanging up and reaching back in the bag. He found a pen taser.  It was just his luck to find a weapon because as soon as he grabbed the taser, strong hands wrapped around his waist trying to pull him up.  _

_ AJ knew that screaming and flinging around is what they'll expect and wouldn't help anyone but them. If these dickwads think they can just shoot his mama and kidnap him and drive into the sunset, they have another thing coming.  _

_ AJ snapped his head back meeting the man's nose with a loud crack. His grip loosened on the boy causing AJ to easily jump out of his grasp. AJ turned around quickly and let loose on the taser that was ten times as powerful as a regular one/or police-issued ones. The man slumped to the floor with bubbles forming out his mouth. AJ held up the taser at the two other men in black trying to reach him. He knew that once he tases the other guy the third one would have his chance to nab him easily.  _

_ Luckily Vision and the suit came on time.  _

 

AJ doesn't think about the absence of a father every day or not even every week. It can be pretty easy to block out with Uncle  Rhodey and Vision around to take that role a bit. But sometimes he couldn't help but think about it when he watches movies or television shows when the kid has both parents to take care of him with loving yet annoying siblings. He tried to think of his life as a Disney-Pixar movie if that makes sense. Some of the Disney movies involving the main character (always a child sometimes) who lost a parent yet in the end their life was a big adventure with no missing holes in it. His 'adopted' brother,  Peter, proved to him that one can still feel loved without a parent (or both) but as long as they have those surround him who he loves. 

But then he came and made that boiling feeling in his skin erupt again at the sight of him. He's not like he remembered him from the picture his mama showed him last year. His hair was far more messy and curly. Baggy and wrinkled clothing that was one size too big. Looked as if he hasn't shaved in weeks. And bags under his eyes. AJ thought to see his father look like the dead would be satisfying but it only made him more angry for worrying about the guy. Not like he would admit it out loud. 

He also despised how his mama didn't yell at him. But then again, it's not like he abandoned Toni knowing she was pregnant. Toni made sure that  AJ knew that information. 

_ AJ stared at the picture that displayed on the large hologram in awe. He asked his mother about what happened to his father only minutes before and now she showed him a picture to the name.  _

_ It was selfie from about 6-7 years ago. AJ noticed how different she looked back then compared to now. Her hair was way shorter. A pixie cut with overgrown bangs. A large smile that made her eyes crinkle. Her arm was wrapped around the man who looked shy with a flush of red on his tan cheeks. She was pulling him in closer so that they can both fit into the picture.  _

_ "His name is Doctor Bruce Banner," Toni finally said after five minutes of silence looking at the picture. "Studied gamma radiation for years. Smartest man I've known since my father." That took AJ by surprise. Toni never mentioned her parents. She only mentioned both the Jarvis and JARVIS. "One day something went wrong in the labs. He was infected by the radiation that caused. That's when he became the Hulk." _

_ AJ's eyes widened. Is his father the Hulk? His favorite avenger. Right after Thor since they were the only two to not hurt his mother.  _

_ "Bruce was no fan of the Hulk like you and me are," she said with a sad smirk. "The Hulk  with Bruce was like  another person living in the same body as him. Only coming out when he lost his temper. He couldn't control it at the time so he ran away."  _

_ "He ran away twice from you?" his voice cracked at the question.  _

_ "I didn't know Bruce until two years after that," she explained. "He looked like a skittish puppy when I first laid eyes on him. But we clicked with Science. After the Battle of New York, I convinced him to stay for a bit. A year after that," she points at the picture. "We had our first date."  _

_ "Where was it?"  _

_ "Coney Island. Very cliche for teenage couples but I didn't date much at that age anyway," she shrugged.  _

_ "Why did he leave you?"  _

_ "...he learned to control the Hulk over time. But someone found a way. She can voodoo people's minds and she did so with Bruce. She brought out the Hulk and he created so much destruction that we couldn't avoid. So many people were injured and possibly killed. He must have thought it was best to run away to keep others safe."  _

_ It was a lot to take in for a three-year-old. But he understood everything clearly. He nods his head thanking his mother for answering truthfully. Another thing he loves about his mama was that she didn't treat him as if he had the mind of a three-year-old. Yeah, he has a temper and whines frequently but he is quite intelligent for that age.  _

 

It's not like he hates Bruce. It's more like he hates the look his mama had on her face at the time when she revealed who his father was. A longing looks in her eyes with a sad smile. 

He hates her sad smiles. 

  
  



End file.
